Health insurance can be confusing and sitting down to “figure it out” can generate feelings ranging from apathy and boredom to frustration and anxiety. Yet, thanks to a new website launched by our Ventura County Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy Program (HICAP), it can be a fun adventure.
Funded by a grant from the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a), the Administration on Aging (AoA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the site is designed to be a road trip, traveling down Route 66 in a pink Cadillac, navigating one’s way through Medicare and long-term care. The site caters to four specific populations:
- Pre-retirement and pre-Medicare population – people between 40-64 years old, with sections on what Medicare is, how and when to enroll, what to do now, what to do at age 64, care giving and long-term care.
- Medicare consumers 65 years and older, with sections on Medicare Parts A, B, C and D, enrollment periods and information on Medicare premiums, deductibles and copayments.
- Medicare consumers younger than 65 years old, who have Medicare due to a disability, with sections on how and when one becomes eligible for Medicare, other health coverage available, and what happens when one turns 65.
- Veterans, with information on the basic benefits and eligibility requirements for federal Veterans health care coverage.
The website also covers information on employer group and retiree health coverage, COBRA, how to file appeals, and how to protect oneself from health insurance fraud and identity theft.
There’s a fun video tutorial on the homepage that walks visitors through the many destinations on this site and their “health care journey.”
Enjoy your trip! Visit MedicareRoute66.com today.
